Article: Cyclists fear off-track government

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From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Cyclists fear off-track government

Cyclists fear off-track government
Dan Nancarrow
May 15, 2012 - 3:00AM

Queensland's peak cycling advocacy group has called on the Newman government to maintain the state's focus on bikeways during transport planning.

Mark Cridland, the deputy director general of policy and planning at the Department of Transport and Main Roads, will address the issue of state cycling infrastructure at the Queensland Transport Infrastructure Conference in Brisbane today.

The talk is expected to shed light on whether the new government will continue to support current legislation, which requires bike access to be considered in planning decisions for new transport work.
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Bicycle Queensland general manager Ben Wilson said there had been rumours the new government would "step back" from the previous government's support for cycling infrastructure.

The Newman government swept to power in March promising to return planning and development powers to councils.

Mr Wilson said the cycling advocacy group had approached Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson about the issue but has so far received no response.

"I know that the desire of everybody involved in the process is to keep the ball rolling," Mr Wilson said.

"Both [Premier Campbell Newman and Mr Emerson], we know from previous meetings, have a keen interest in cycling as a beneficial transport and recreational pursuit for Queensland.

"But we want the things that have been started and have a very clear benefit such as cycle network plans, similarly the state cycle strategy, which was only finalised in 2011, to make sure that is being supported."

Bicycle Queensland has worked with the state government and individual councils for more than five years formulating principal cycle network plans throughout the state.

While plans have been completed for many of the state's most populous cities but there are still plenty more yet to be finished.

Mr Wilson said the plans give recognition of what cycling infrastructure needs to be considered when plans are formulated for new roads, light rail or busways.

"The process we're going through just means that we won't have bad decisions made," he said.

"So when we do plan to put in a big triple route and it is done on the very which goes past the local high schools that is a problem.

"We have to cater for cycling in a way that we don't have kids being unable to ride to their nearest school because they're on a big truck route."

In a written statement last night, Mr Emerson said he had ordered a review of all spending across his portfolio in an attempt to "cut waste and get better value for taxpayers money".

"No decisions regarding cycling infrastructure have been made at this time," he said.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/cyclists-fear-offtrack-government-20120514-1ymsa.html